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I was asked to speak about hospice care in Cherry Hill NJ at a Congregation Kol Ami Shabbaton this weekend. This may sound a little counterintuitive as our panel discussion was about flourishing in difficult times.

Editor’s Note: You can listen to Cindy’s presentation from the Congregation Kol Ami Shabbaton event in the player below.

Take a moment to think about some difficult choices you have made in your life. Some good, some not so good, and how you persevered during those challenges. Was there a strength within you? Did you have a support system around you to lift you up? Was there enough water to draw from in your well of courage? What allowed you to move forward with a greater sense of peace?

Hospice care can be that way too. It is an active choice. It may not be the one that you wished for in this present moment, yet it can offer comfort and support from an interdisciplinary team that has the primary focus on you.

When we think about writing a living will or an advanced directive I wonder if we include the word hospice in our wishes. Many people and loved ones struggle with this word. They have images or notions some real and some antiquated that really don’t describe the hospice work that I encounter on a daily basis.

For so many including medical professionals there is a stigma associated with the word. This is very curious to me as it comes from the same root as hospital and hospitality.

We see a powerful example of hospitality in Torah as Abraham encounters and offers hospitality to three strangers while recuperating from his own medical procedure. This hospitality becomes a core ethical mandate in Judaism known as Hachnasat Orchim.

The essential principle here according to Sefaria’s Studies in Spirituality is what the sages meant when they said, “A prisoner cannot release himself from prison” (Berakhot 5b). There is a need for community support during times of illness. Judaism encourages caring for the most vulnerable asking of us to visit the sick and to comfort the mourner. This includes festive celebrations and the offer of hospitality. This act is said to be “greater than receiving the Shekhina” (Shabbat 127a). By doing this mitzvah for the vulnerable it alleviates the spirit and lessens the tendency of those suffering to isolate and withdraw from the world. “What the seventy elders actually did to help Moses is unclear. But simply being there with him was part of the cure.” (Sefaria’s Studies in Spirituality; A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible, Behaalotekha; From Despair to Hope.18)

I want to share with you what hospice can be. It can be spending time with your family and friends with your pain managed. It can be doing exactly what you can do instead of focusing in on what you can’t. It can be choosing life in the midst of a medical diagnosis. It can also alleviate the burdens of the caregiver reducing the stress levels of patient and family.

As a chaplain I treat an individual as a person not as a diagnosis. I try to figure out what makes them come alive and develop a plan of care accordingly. My favorite thing is what we call a Serenity Surprise.

I ask what is important to the person or the family. Is it a family gathering or is there some place or thing that is still unfinished?

I want to share with you three patient celebrations:

Sue enjoyed the oldies from the 50’s and the 60’s. Part of her glory days she played “Jailhouse Rock,” watched “Viva Las Vegas,”and wanted to see Elvis in concert. We brought in an Elvis impersonator for her and the community. She danced and sang with Elvis and her family. For that moment the focus was on her joy and not on her illness.

Dave enjoyed trips to the casinos. Live! Casino in South Philadelphia was around the corner from his home. We planned an afternoon of gambling and lunch with his two daughters. We arranged transport, gave him cash for the slots, and he won $300. I can still see the smile on his face holding the certificate of his winnings.

One of the most heartwarming experiences was when we facilitated a family reunion. Elizabeth was on our service in West Chester and most of her family lived out of state. One of her daughters shared that there was a sibling, Anna, who was living in a skilled nursing facility near Quakertown. Elizabeth hadn’t seen her daughter, Anna, in over three years. We found a little Italian restaurant near Anna’s residence and transported Elizabeth to the restaurant while her family picked up Anna. We had a memorable family gathering full of music, song, and laughter. There were tears of joy when mother and daughter were reunited and there wasn’t a dry eye in the place.

Hospice gives families the opportunity to connect with the joy of living in the midst of challenging circumstances.

Stillness in the midst of turbulence is extremely difficult. Having an amazing support system and feeding your spiritual needs is so important. There are some things that are just out of our control. The one thing that we can control is the openness to move closer to an inner sense of shalom.

Faced with challenges in this world there is a choice. Do we choose life? Do our actions reflect that choice? Are we truly living? What do we allow ourselves to experience before the last breath ceases from our lips? Are we actively seeking shalom? And if not, then why not?

A vibrant discussion followed. There were questions asked as to why so much of end-of-life care is hidden and located in the margins. I suspect that much of our society and healthcare systems measure their success on the appearance of youthfulness and favorable treatment outcomes. Conversations about aging and a comfortable death may be considered a failure by them even when dying is an integral part of living. When we are ready to mindfully advocate for ourselves and loved ones we will be in a better position to make choices that are in alignment with our healthcare goals. If we don’t know what questions to ask or are resistant to receiving certain answers we are going to continue to be perplexed by end-of-life decision-making. Having people and resources around us to assist with this process is so important. May our communities continue to thrive and flourish during these difficult times.

The post Flourishing in Difficult Times with Hospice Care appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s encore episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi John L. Rosove, senior rabbi emeritus of Temple Israel of Hollywood, discusses his new book, Finding Your Moral Compass: Jewish Values for the 21st Century.

Finding Your Moral Compass places enduring Jewish values in a 21st century context, offering a thoughtful and enriching guide for those seeking ethical direction and spiritual grounding through and in Jewish tradition.

In this collection of 40 essays, Rabbi John L. Rosove explores foundational Jewish values and helps readers affirm their Jewish identity while drawing connections between Jewish teachings and universal moral principles.

Rosove combines classic scholarship, compassion, and personal experience in his reflections upon Judaism’s age-old moral and ethical traditions and Jewish identity as they have evolved over centuries and since the Holocaust and the establishment of the State of Israel.

As a thought-leader at the forefront of social justice and liberal Israel activism in North America, Rosove draws from his personal experiences to present moral clarity and an ethical compass for liberal Jews and all who are interested in contemporary Judaism. With accessible prose and heartfelt insight, this collection of essays invites liberal Jews – and anyone interested in finding moral clarity – to consider how Jewish wisdom can serve as a compass in navigating today’s world.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions. If you do not see a player directly below this paragraph, you can still watch the video by clicking on this link: LINK

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player. If you do not see a player below, you can still listen to the podcast by clicking on this link: LINK

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Rabbi John L. Rosove is Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Israel of Hollywood in Los Angeles where he served as Senior Rabbi from 1988 to 2019. He is a past National Chairman of the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA) representing 1.5 million Reform Jews, a member of the International Advisory Council for the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism (AIC), and a past national co-Chair of the Rabbinic and Cantorial Cabinet of J Street (a pro-Israel, pro-peace, and pro-democracy political organization based in Washington, D.C.).

John is the author of four books –

Finding Your Moral Compass – Jewish Values for the 21st Century – to be published by the University of Toronto New Jewish Press in April, 2026 – please check back then

From the West to the East – A Memoir of a Liberal American Rabbi (Fresno: West of West Center, 2024) – available from the publisher directly here and at Amazon.com.

Why Israel and its Future Matters – Letters of a Liberal Rabbi to the Next Generation with an Afterword by Daniel and David Rosove  (New Jersey: Ben Yehuda Press, 2019 – 2nd edition, 2023) with a Foreword written after October 7, 2023 – available from the publisher and at Amazon.com.

Why Judaism Matters – Letters of a Liberal Rabbi to his Children and the Millennial Generation with an Afterword by Daniel and David Rosove (Nashville: Jewish Lights Publishing, a division of Turner Publishing Company, 2017) available at the publisher and at Amazon.com.

John is a co-editor of Deepening the Dialogue – Jewish-Americans and Israelis Envisioning the Jewish-Democratic State (New York: CCAR Press, 2020), in English and Hebrew. Available from the publisher and at Amazon.com.

John translated and edited the Hebrew biography of his Great-Granduncle – Avraham Shapira – Veteran of the Haganah and Hebrew Guard by Getzel Kressel (publ. by the Municipality of Petach Tikvah, 1955). The translation was privately published (2021).

John also translated and edited a book of Hebrew poetry, letters and writings by his Israeli cousin Michael Shapira (1933-1952) called In the Prime of his Days with an Introduction by Hebrew University Professor Yosef Yoel Rivlin, Michael’s cousin and the father of the former President of the State of Israel, Reuven Rivlin (published by Michael’s parents, Devorah and Yitzchak-Tzvi Shapira of Petach Tikvah, 1953). The volume was given to John by Michael’s parents in 1973. The translation was privately published (2022).

John was the 2002 Recipient of the World Union for Progressive Judaism International Humanitarian Award and has received special commendation from the State of Israel Bonds. In 2013 he was honored by J Street at its Fifth Anniversary Celebration in Los Angeles.

John wrote a series of 8 Jewish Life Cycle Guides. The Guide Preparing for Jewish Burial and Mourning appears on the web-site of Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary in Los Angeles. (http://hillsidememorial.org/jewish-lifecycle-guide/).

John writes a regular blog that appears at The Times of Israel at ​https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/john-l-rosove/  and this blog – https://rabbijohnrosove.blog/. His Facebook site is  www.facebook.com/RabbiJohnLRosove – his LinkedIn site is https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabbijohnrosove

John is married to Barbara. They are the parents of two sons – Daniel and David. Daniel is married to Marina. John and Barbara have two grandchildren and live in Los Angeles.

The post ENCORE: Finding Your Moral Compass: Jewish Values Explained, with Rabbi John Rosove – Seekers of Meaning 10/30/2026 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s encore episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Dr. Steven Spector discusses his new book, God and the First Families: Parenting, Trauma, and Healing in the Book of Genesis. He focuses on trauma theory in Genesis, parenting styles in the Bible, and the psychological insights into biblical characters. This episode explores how ancient stories reflect human trauma and parenting dynamics, offering valuable lessons for modern life.

God and the First Families offers a novel exploration of God’s role as a parent in the book of Genesis. Compellingly, author Stephen Spector introduces Americans’ four main perceptions of God and their four most common styles of parenting as lenses through which we can reckon with God’s own methods of parenting in the first biblical book.

God begins as an authoritarian parent who demands obedience and submission to authority, but shifts in striking ways. Next, God’s parenting seems entirely benevolent. Stunningly, God reverts to authoritarianism during the near sacrifice of Isaac―but then invents a new parenting style focused on guiding the characters’ moral and emotional growth. Many psychologists consider this the most successful childrearing method. Genesis reached that conclusion two and a half millennia ago!

Throughout, Spector engages with familiar stories―sibling rivalries, family ruptures, traumas―from unexpected angles. He dramatizes how parental love in Genesis builds resilience against trauma, another idea validated by modern psychology. Surviving trauma, healing from parental favoritism, repairing broken relationships, earning forgiveness, possibly even reconciling after injury―Genesis offers wisdom on all. 

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions. If you do not see a player directly below this paragraph, you can still watch the video by clicking on this link: LINK

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player. If you do not see a player below, you can still listen to the podcast by clicking on this link: LINK

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Stephen Spector is a professor of English emeritus at Stony Brook University. He is the author of Operation Solomon: The Daring Rescue of the Ethiopian Jews and Evangelicals and Israel: The Story of American Christian Zionism, among other volumes. Spector has taught the Bible to undergraduate and graduate students for fifty years. He has been a visiting scholar at Hebrew University and a senior research fellow at the National Humanities Center and the Wesleyan Center for Humanities.

The post ENCORE: Trauma and Parenting Insights from Genesis with Dr. Steven Spector – Seekers of Meaning 10/23/2026 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rhona Cohen, a licensed speech language pathologist, discusses cognitive remediation therapy, its applications, and how it helps individuals with neurological conditions improve their daily functioning. She shares insights on therapy methods, working with different diagnoses, and the importance of practical, functional strategies.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions. If you do not see a player directly below this paragraph, you can still watch the video by clicking on this link: LINK

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player. If you do not see a player below, you can still listen to the podcast by clicking on this link: LINK

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Rhona Cohen is a licensed speech and language pathologist, specializing in cognitive remediation, with more than 40 years of experience treating adults with cognitive impairments caused by trauma, disease or ADD/ ADHD. 

She worked at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia in their brain injury department for six years and has been in private practice for 35 years, since then.

The treatment that she provides is individualized and is targeted towards improving daily functioning.

Patients are taught specific strategies to address daily challenges. A spouse or significant other is encouraged to participate in this process to lend their valuable support and feedback. The length and duration of treatment varies — sessions are conducted over Zoom and are scheduled once a week, initially. The overall purpose of this intervention is to facilitate improved daily functioning, to increase a feeling of productivity and purpose and to develop meaningful daily activity patterns — to establish a “new normal”.

The post Cognitive Remediation Therapy: Enhancing Daily Functioning, with Rhona Cohen — Seekers of Meaning 10/16/2026 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast,Reva Judas shares her personal journey and the vital work of NechamaComfort.org, a global organization supporting families through prenatal and infant loss. This episode explores the emotional, cultural, and spiritual aspects of perinatal loss within the Jewish community and beyond.

NechamaComfort supports families who have suffered from early miscarriage through infants up to age one. Its team provides support wherever it is needed — for parents, extended family, and friends experiencing pregnancy and early infant loss. NechamaComfort collaborate with medical and hospital staff, clergy, and funeral homes to ensure families have the resources and care they need. In addition, we train professionals and communities to better understand how to offer meaningful support.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions. If you do not see a player directly below this paragraph, you can still watch the video by clicking on this link: Seekers of Meaning TV Show – Reva Judas

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player. If you do not see a player below, you can still listen to the podcast by clicking on this link: Seekers of Meaning – Reva Judas

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Reva Judas is the founder and Executive Director of NechamaComfort, a global organization that supports families dealing with infant and pregnancy loss. She has counseled people around the world and has trained medical staff, clergy, lay leaders, and communities in best practices for supporting grieving families.

Reva received her Chaplaincy Certification from Hackensack Medical center and is a Resolve Through Sharing (RTS) certified Infant Pregnancy Loss Facilitator. She holds a BS in Human and Child Development.

The post Understanding Perinatal Loss: A Journey with NechamaComfort founder Reva Judas — Seekers of Meaning 10/9/2026 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Address explores the critical issue of domestic abuse within the Jewish community, focusing on the work of Project Sarah in southern New Jersey. Hilary Platt, Project SARAH co-manager at Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Southern New Jersey, shares insights on prevalence, community outreach, and resources available for victims of abuse, including elder abuse and support for men.

Project SARAH (Stop Abusive Relationships At Home) provides confidential, compassionate support for survivors of domestic abuse and their families, including counseling, case management, safety planning, and more. The program is committed to prevention, education, and raising awareness that abuse can affect anyone—regardless of their age, faith, gender, or economic background.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions. If you do not see a player directly below this paragraph, you can still watch the video by clicking on this link: LINK

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player. If you do not see a player below, you can still listen to the podcast by clicking on this link: LINK

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As Project SARAH coordinator, and now co-manager and case manager, Hilary has grown the program to what it is today. This growth could not have happened without the support and encouragement of JFCS leadership.

Hilary was originally hired as a JFCS intake specialist with knowledge of domestic abuse and sexual assault.. Hilary has undertaken extensive training, including completing two courses of 40 hours of Domestic Violence Response Team Advocate training through the Camden County Women’s Center, 40 hours of Sexual Assaults Advocacy training through the Burlington County CONTACT, and earning a Polaris Certificate of Training in Human Trafficking.

Hilary was an active Domestic Violence Response Team Member with the Camden County Women’s Center, meeting victims at police stations and hospitals for eight years.

Utilizing her education in psychology and experience as a substitute teacher, the Project SARAH program has grown in the community by educating over 2000 students a year, assisting hundreds of clients with case management and support groups. Hilary is also passionate about training lay leaders and professionals in the community, including but not limited to hospital social workers and local sisterhoods.

Her dedication to supporting survivors of abuse is reflected in her tenure, having started her role on October 11, 2011.

Hilary can’t imagine a life without helping others and hopes to stay on with her JFCS family for a long time to come!

Hilary has been married to Harry for 32 years and is a proud mother of her daughter Jaclyn Isadore (husband Dylan Isadore) and her son Jacob Platt, as well as being a kvelling Mimi of grandson Samuel Asher Isadore. Hilary is grateful for her family’s unwavering support in her endeavor to advocate for the vulnerable population of domestic abuse. Hilary is appreciative of her colleagues in her  Project SARAH team as well as all of her supportive colleagues at JFCS.

The post Project SARAH: Support for Domestic Abuse Survivors – Seekers of Meaning 10/2/2026 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Address interviews Judith Edelman-Green about her book The Well of Compassion: Reflections on the Art of Spiritual Care, exploring the art of spiritual care, the symbolism of wells, and the role of compassion and humor in healing. They discuss how personal and cultural experiences shape spiritual support, especially in diverse and challenging contexts.

An extraordinary resource drawn from decades of groundbreaking work in multifaith and multicultural settings, this book is a landmark guide to compassionate care for a world in crisis.

Covering all aspects of pastoral care and spiritual guidance, The Well of Compassion delivers a rich blend of wisdom, inspiration, and guidance for professionals and laypersons.

Whether you are a clergyperson seeking to deepen their work in a hospital or individual chaplaincy, or a friend or a relative seeking ways to be present for a loved one going through a crisis, you will find in this book tools to heal and to cope.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions. If you do not see a player directly below this paragraph, you can still watch the video by clicking on this link: https://vimeo.com/1217769194

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player. If you do not see a player below, you can still listen to the podcast by clicking on this link: https://media.blubrry.com/seekersofmeaning/ins.blubrry.com/seekersofmeaning/XXX.mp3

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Judith Edelman-Green is a Rabbi and Jewish educator who was ordained at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem in 2009.

Rabbi Judith Edelman-Green has initiated and led programs designed to break down societal barriers and stereotypes, by bridging the wide divides that separate the varied religious groupings of Jews in the State of Israel. Most recently, she has devoted her time to pastoral care-giving as a Rabbi-Chaplain.

She worked as a Spiritual Caregiver in two blood-cancer wards (hematology-oncology and bone marrow transplants) of Tel HaShomer Hospital for more than five years. She has comforted, supported, and uplifted patients, families and staff of all religions and backgrounds. She teaches in-person and online courses on facing illness, death and dying, and seeking a life of meaning in varied settings. She shares wisdom gleaned from those experiences in The WELL of COMPASSION: Reflections of the Art of Spiritual Care.

In 1995, Judith founded the Bar- and Bat-Mitzvah Program for Children with Special Needs, which she directed for 10 years. The program continues as an affiliate of the Masorti Movement, and reaches thousands of children throughout Israel annually, touching and influencing constantly-widening circles in Israeli society. As an outgrowth of this work, she established Netaim, the first Israeli-Jewish camp for young people with special needs in 1999, as part of Camp Ramah-Noam.  She convened national conferences on Special Needs in Jewish Education. In 2002, the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles awarded her a prize for this work.

All the programs Judith has directed shatter long-held prejudices, foster a humane, tolerant approach to Israeli society, and bring the polarized Jewish state one step closer to Tikkun Olam (perfection of the world). In recognition of her accomplishments, Judith was awarded The Liebhaber Prize for the Promotion of Religious Tolerance and Cultural Pluralism in Israel in 2003. She is also a recipient of the Woman of Distinction Award given by the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, and the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Israeli Society given by Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem (2008).

For eight years, Rabbi Judith Edelman-Green served as Rabbi at the Jewish Religious Union (Reform) in Mumbai, working with Benei Israel Jews for the High Holidays. This enabled her to build delightful, colorful, spicy and very spiritual bridges. Rabbi Judith hopes to return in 2024 and take part in the centenary celebrations of this unique community in 2025.

Rabbi Judith has been active in interfaith groups promoting interpersonal understanding between Arab and Jewish women for many years. She lives in Kfar Sava, Israel with her husband, Dr. Bernie Green. They have three adult children, Raphi, Shira and Ilana, and two grandchildren.

The post 9/25/2026 ENCORE: The Art of Spiritual Care: Insights from Judith Edelman-Green – Seekers of Meaning 8/14/2026 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Dalia Marx, Ph.D., the Rabbi Aaron D. Panken Professor of Liturgy and Midrash at HUC-JIR’s Taube Family Campus in Jerusalem, discusses her new book, From Time to Time, Journeys in the Jewish Calendar.

Time is fundamental to the human experience, and in Judaism it is even more—time is sanctified. Understanding the Jewish calendar is thus essential for fully comprehending Judaism. In From Time to Time, Rabbi Dalia Marx, PhD, presents a fascinating exploration of the treasures of the Jewish year. The book artfully blends traditional and contemporary perspectives on each Hebrew month and its holidays. Rabbi Marx’s insights are paired with striking illustrations; each month also features a diverse selection of poetry, prayers, and songs. Taking a distinctively Israeli, feminist, and progressive approach, From Time to Time is a comprehensive, indispensable companion you will want to return to each season.

Download a study guide from the CCAR Press website.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions.

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Rabbi Dalia Marx, Ph.D., is the Rabbi Aaron D. Panken Professor of Liturgy and Midrash at HUC-JIR’s Taube Family Campus in Jerusalem, and teaches in various academic institutions in Israel and Europe.

Marx, a tenth generation Jerusalemite, earned her doctorate at the Hebrew University and her rabbinic ordination at HUC-JIR in Jerusalem and Cincinnati in 2002. She is involved in various research projects and is active in promoting liberal Judaism in Israel. Marx writes for academic and popular journals and publications.

Marx is the lead editor of the Israeli Reform siddur, Tfillat HaAdam (2020). Her book From Time to Time: Journeys in the Jewish Calendar (Yeditos Sfarim 2018), was translated to several languages, and is available in English from the CCAR Press.

She is the author of When I Sleep and When I Wake: On Prayers between Dusk and Dawn (Yediot Sfarim, 2010, in Hebrew),  A Feminist Commentary of the Babylonian Talmud (Mohr Siebeck, 2013, in English), About Time: Journeys in the Jewish-Israeli Calendar (Yediot Sfarim, 2018, in Hebrew) and the co-editor of a few books. See Marx’s website.

Marx lives in Jerusalem with her husband, Roly Zyblersztein, Ph.D. They have three children.

The post 9/18/2026 ENCORE: Seekers of Meaning 5/31/2024: Rabbi Dalia Marx, author of “From Time to Time: Journeys in the Jewish Calendar” appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Address engages with Rabbis Judith Siegal and Phil Bazeley as they discuss their preparations for the upcoming High Holidays. They explore themes of hope, relationships, and the generational divide in support for Israel within the Jewish community. The conversation delves into the importance of acknowledging grief and trauma, particularly in light of recent events, and emphasizes the role of the synagogue as a space for community and healing. The rabbis share their hopes for the future and the significance of finding purpose in their spiritual leadership.

You can add the Jewish Sacred Aging TV channel to your Roku streaming subscription by visiting this page: https://channelstore.roku.com/details/600964/jewish-sacred-aging.

You can also watch this week’s show in the player below. The shows now include closed-captioning for the deaf or people with a hearing loss. Click the “CC” button on the video player to activate closed-captions. If you do not see a player directly below this paragraph, you can still watch the video by clicking on this link: LINK

You can listen to the audio podcast version in the player below, or subscribe to the podcast in one of the popular platforms by clicking one of the buttons below the player. If you do not see a player below, you can still listen to the podcast by clicking on this link: LINK

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Rabbi Philip Bazeley was ordained from the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in 2012, which is when he began his time at Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple. Rabbi Bazeley started at AEMT as the Assistant Rabbi and was named the Senior Rabbi in 2018. While at HUC-JIR he earned a Master of Arts in Hebrew Literature as well as a Master of Arts in Religious Education.

Rabbi Bazeley serves as a member of the Core Leadership Team of The Religious Action Center- New Jersey (RAC-NJ) and serves on the local board of the American Jewish Committee of New Jersey (AJC-NJ) and is a Co-Chair of the Jewish Federation in The Heart of NJ’s Jewish Community Relations Council. One of the core pillars of Rabbi Bazeley’s rabbinate is Tikkun Olam and he has been part of many social justice initiatives in NJ, which include helping to pass solitary confinement reform, the Fair Chance in House Act, and establishing Interfaith-Rise, a refugee resettlement agency. 

Since his ordination, Rabbi Bazeley has served as a Clinical Faculty Mentor at the HUC-JIR’s New York School of Education and has been awarded the title Reform Jewish Educator (R.J.E.) from the National Association of Temple Educators (now the Association of Reform Jewish Educators) for the work that he has done at AEMT and other institutions. Rabbi Bazeley has also been honored with the Union for Reform Judaism’s Maurice N. Eisendrath’s Bearer of Light Award for his participation in America’s Journey for Justice, where he marched with the NAACP as well as other members of the CCAR from Selma, Alabama to Washington D.C. in the summer of 2015.

Rabbi Bazeley and his wife Alyson live in Highland Park with their sons, Gavin and Matthew

Rabbi Judith Lazarus Siegal is honored to be the senior rabbi of Temple Judea, a warm and inclusive Jewish community, which takes learning and worship seriously and engages in acts of love and kindness and social action all year long. Originally from New Orleans, Rabbi Siegal was ordained from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in May of 2006 with a Masters in Hebrew Literature. She also has a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Texas in Austin. She has served as a rabbi at Temple Judea in Coral Gables, FL since her ordination, and became the senior rabbi of Temple Judea July 1, 2014. 

Rabbi Siegal enjoys building relationships, leading worship, creating meaningful life cycle moments, counseling, pursuing social justice and teaching students of all ages at Temple Judea, from preschoolers in our Margaux Early Childhood School and their families to adult Torah study groups, new adult Hebrew students, and religious school students of various grade levels. 

Rabbi Siegal currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami, on the board of the South East Area Council of the CCAR, and as the Vice President of Programming for the Central Conference of American Rabbis. She is a past chair of the Miami Coalition of Christians and Jews Interfaith Clergy Dialogue and was awarded the Clergy Silver Medallion in 2018. She has been a fellow for the Jewish Outreach Institute’s Big Tent Judaism Professional Affiliates and has studied at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center as well as the Mussar Institute and is always looking for new and interesting study opportunities. She received the Clergy of the Year award in 2014 and was selected as one of the 2020 Florida Influencers by the Miami Herald. 

Rabbi Siegal is married to Brian Siegal, who is the Director of the American Jewish Committee of Miami and Broward, and they have three children, Ben, Josh, and Ella.  

The post High Holidays Insights: Rabbis Discuss Hope and Healing – Seekers of Meaning 9/4-11/2026 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this week’s episode of the Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, Rabbi Address interviews Judith Edelman-Green about her book The Well of Compassion: Reflections on the Art of Spiritual Care, exploring the art of spiritual care, the symbolism of wells, and the role of compassion and humor in healing. They discuss how personal and cultural experiences shape spiritual support, especially in diverse and challenging contexts.

An extraordinary resource drawn from decades of groundbreaking work in multifaith and multicultural settings, this book is a landmark guide to compassionate care for a world in crisis.

Covering all aspects of pastoral care and spiritual guidance, The Well of Compassion delivers a rich blend of wisdom, inspiration, and guidance for professionals and laypersons.

Whether you are a clergyperson seeking to deepen their work in a hospital or individual chaplaincy, or a friend or a relative seeking ways to be present for a loved one going through a crisis, you will find in this book tools to heal and to cope.

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Judith Edelman-Green is a Rabbi and Jewish educator who was ordained at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem in 2009.

Rabbi Judith Edelman-Green has initiated and led programs designed to break down societal barriers and stereotypes, by bridging the wide divides that separate the varied religious groupings of Jews in the State of Israel. Most recently, she has devoted her time to pastoral care-giving as a Rabbi-Chaplain.

She worked as a Spiritual Caregiver in two blood-cancer wards (hematology-oncology and bone marrow transplants) of Tel HaShomer Hospital for more than five years. She has comforted, supported, and uplifted patients, families and staff of all religions and backgrounds. She teaches in-person and online courses on facing illness, death and dying, and seeking a life of meaning in varied settings. She shares wisdom gleaned from those experiences in The WELL of COMPASSION: Reflections of the Art of Spiritual Care.

In 1995, Judith founded the Bar- and Bat-Mitzvah Program for Children with Special Needs, which she directed for 10 years. The program continues as an affiliate of the Masorti Movement, and reaches thousands of children throughout Israel annually, touching and influencing constantly-widening circles in Israeli society. As an outgrowth of this work, she established Netaim, the first Israeli-Jewish camp for young people with special needs in 1999, as part of Camp Ramah-Noam.  She convened national conferences on Special Needs in Jewish Education. In 2002, the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles awarded her a prize for this work.

All the programs Judith has directed shatter long-held prejudices, foster a humane, tolerant approach to Israeli society, and bring the polarized Jewish state one step closer to Tikkun Olam (perfection of the world). In recognition of her accomplishments, Judith was awarded The Liebhaber Prize for the Promotion of Religious Tolerance and Cultural Pluralism in Israel in 2003. She is also a recipient of the Woman of Distinction Award given by the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, and the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Israeli Society given by Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem (2008).

For eight years, Rabbi Judith Edelman-Green served as Rabbi at the Jewish Religious Union (Reform) in Mumbai, working with Benei Israel Jews for the High Holidays. This enabled her to build delightful, colorful, spicy and very spiritual bridges. Rabbi Judith hopes to return in 2024 and take part in the centenary celebrations of this unique community in 2025.

Rabbi Judith has been active in interfaith groups promoting interpersonal understanding between Arab and Jewish women for many years. She lives in Kfar Sava, Israel with her husband, Dr. Bernie Green. They have three adult children, Raphi, Shira and Ilana, and two grandchildren.

The post The Art of Spiritual Care: Insights from Judith Edelman-Green – Seekers of Meaning 8/14/2026 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.